


When the Going Gets Tough

by writetheniteaway



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Cuddles, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, annoying sexist editors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-01
Updated: 2014-03-01
Packaged: 2018-01-14 04:18:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1252522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writetheniteaway/pseuds/writetheniteaway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katherine's editor is running her ragged and there's no end in sight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When the Going Gets Tough

**Author's Note:**

> It's late I'm tired and the title sucks. At least the fic is kind of cute. Enjoy!

She’d edited the piece a dozen times, checking and rechecking for any errors in her mechanics. The headline was snappy and the story compelling. There was no reason her editor could hand it back to her again, no matter how hard he looked for one.

“It’s too long.” He said, chiding her like she’d made a capital offense. “Nobody will have the patience to sift through this drawl.”

“You told me yesterday it was too short.” She replied, keeping her tone even but firm. “I only added about two hundred words.”

“Cut it in half.” He said shortly. “It won’t be ready for the afternoon issue and there’s no space for a monstrosity like this in tomorrow morning.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it.” She insisted. “You can print it now.”

“Half it.” He tossed the draft at her across his desk, not sparing a glance when the sheets landed at her feet. “Or scrap it.” She snatched her work off the floor and stuffed it in her bag, slamming his door when she left.

**

“What happened to getting some sleep?” Jack asked when he saw her bent over her type writer. “Seem to remember you promisin’ me you’d get to bed soon as you got back.”

“It’s not done.” She said despondently.

“Whatta ya mean it’s not done?” He asked, confused.

“He told me to half it.” She said, frustration making her voice shake. “I was up all night expanding, and now he wants me to half it.”

“The hell he making you do that for?” He refilled her coffee cup.

“He wants me out. He knows I’ll go somewhere else and write about it if he just fires me. He’s trying to force me to quit…and it’s working.” She pushed herself back from the table.

“Hey, c’mon.” He didn’t like the way her voice was shaking, or the harsh dark circles permanently staining her soft face. Even when it was tough, there was very little she cared about more than her job. To see her consider leaving made him furious.

“I don’t know what else to do.” She tucked her knees under her chin and balanced on the chair. “He turns down even my best work.” She pressed her forehead against her arms, defeated.

“Now I know that ain’t my beautiful wife talkin’.” He said softly. “My girl wouldn’t never give in to no bastard of a boss.”

“I’m out of ideas!” She snapped, exhaustion breaking down the inhibitions that kept her from crying. “I’m running myself ragged trying to please him, but he doesn’t give a damn about the work. All he sees is a skirt and that’s enough to convince him I don’t deserve a chance.”

“Don’t cry.” He framed her face in his hands. There wasn’t much in this world that scared Jack Kelly, but that kind a pain coming from her always did the trick. “C’mon, sweetheart, it’s alright.”

“I’m being stupid.” She brushed him off, wiping her eyes furiously. “I’m fine.”

“You’re exhausted.” He informed her. “It ain’t helpin’ ya any.”

“Is that you sending me to bed?” She asked darkly.

“It’s me askin’ nicely.” He took her hands. “I’ll stay with ya, if ya want me to.”

“You’ve got work.” She reminded him.

“I can sketch from here.” He answered. “Sides, you’re more important.”

“Now you’re being stupid.” She said.

“Mhm, sure I am.” He lifted her from the chair before she could yell at him not to, swinging his arm under her knees.

“I’m perfectly capable of walking.” She hissed.

“Never said you weren’t.” He kissed her cheek.

“Don’t start with me Jack Kelly.” She said angrily, too upset to let him charm her into a smile.

“Just tryin’ to make you feel better.” He said innocently, placing her on the bed.

“Sorry.” She said guiltily.

“Get some rest we’ll call it even.” He kissed her forehead. She curled onto her side, punching her pillow angrily into place.

“You’ll be able to think straight once ya get some sleep.” He promised. “Figure a way outta this mess.”

“Hope so.” She mumbled.

“Ya will.” He said confidently. He sat on his side of the bed, leaning up against the headboard and balancing his sketchbook in his lap. So what if he missed his deadline because he was busy running his fingers through her hair when he should have been drawing. She needed to know he’d stand by her, an’ that mattered more.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Pulitzer's Princess](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4398782) by [pylades](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pylades/pseuds/pylades)




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